Time is a Terrible Thing to Waste
by tresemmegirl
Summary: Another Marauder into the future fic. Full of action, romance, adventure, humor and tragedy. How will the Harry and the others react to his parents coming from the past?


**Time is a Terrible Thing to Waste**

**Summary: **Another Marauder into the future fic. Full of action, romance, adventure, humor and tragedy.

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing… and if I did, Lily and James would have come back to life, Sirius would be alive, Remus happy, and Peter gone.

This is my first Marauder time travel fic, so please be gentle. Comments and suggestions are most welcomed.

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**Chapter 1: **Train Transfer

James Potter frowned as he looked outside his window listening to the rumbling of the Hogwarts Express crossing a high, heavy bridge. Rain spat at the windows as dark clouds hung casting out the sky from any source of light. James' warm breath fogged the window as he drew little snitches in its place.

His hazel eyes dropped slightly behind a thin set of glasses as he turned his handsome face, whipping a quick hand through his messy jet black hair as he began to talk to one of his best friends, Remus Lupin, or otherwise known as Moony to his friends.

"Moony… where are they? How long does it take to get food?" James whimpered from the corner.

Remus looked up, his golden eyes hidden slightly behind frail blonde hair and a soft smile. His cheeks rose, revealing a tiny scar across his cheek looking as if it were healing. Turning another page in his book, he answered his hungry friend.

"Lost?" he shrugged his shabby robes as James raised an eyebrow and let a type of grunt. "Or perhaps they ran into someone."

"Malfoy no doubt. He has it in for Sirius this year."

Remus nodded in agreement. Lucius Malfoy did have it in for Sirius Black, another Marauder and close friend.

"Sirius can handle his own."

Sighing, James stretched and loosened his Hogwarts tie with his houses' colors of red and gold, "Well, if he did get lost or what not, he has Peter for company."

"True. But I have to agree with you, Prongs," Remus confessed as his stomach let out a growl, "I am a bit hungry myself."

"I'm starving."

"Oh please, we had a huge breakfast at your house," Remus interjected continuing to read his book called '_Vampires: A Dawn of a New Age_'.

"Moony, come off it, you know I eat a lot." James looked back out the window as he made shapes in the water droplets digging his shoes into the soft carpet of the train compartment, "I can't help it that I can eat a whole refrigerator and still keep a healthy, handsome Quidditch figure."

James even put a hand on his hip and pretended to flex as Remus laughed behind his book.

"Figures I'd walk in on Prongs pretending to be some model again," came a bark like laugh from the hallway as the compartment door opened revealing two grinning boys holding sweets.

The first, the one responsible for the laugh, flashed a smirk and gave off a charmed appearance and cool attitude as his gray eyes flicked around dancing with laughter at his best friend's so called 'modeling'. His dark hair was short but yet long enough to 'keep the girls' as he would put it.

The second was shorter and had soft blonde hair. With watery blue eyes and cheerful smile he dropped the sweets next to Remus as sat down. He was a bit plumper then the others, not counting Remus who had always looked far too thin. Grinning James looked over and pinched what he liked to call the boy's 'baby cheeks' and thanked him for the food.

"I was starving!" James proclaimed as him and the short blonde boy. "Peter, you saved my life."

Peter Pettigrew smiled. "I couldn't let you're life just go to waste, James," he said sarcastically.

"Awww," whined the other boy, "Why'd you save his life?"

"Ha, ha, Sirius," James said with a mouthful of Cauldron Cakes. Sirius chuckled and gave a playful smirk as began to suck on some Licorice Wand.

"I hope in twenty years you become fat from eating all that junk."

"Can it, Padfoot." James told his best friend, Sirius Black as he smacked him on the back of the head and smashed a Pumpkin Pasty on his head. Peter and Remus laughed and soon a food fight broke out among the Marauders.

As the boys talked and joked for a few more minutes' things began to swing to a downward halt. Running out of things to talk about, James changed the subject to Quidditch. After a fifteen-minute National Quidditch League update, the boys silence the Gryffindor Quidditch Captain and asked for another subject. James happily changed it to the girl of his dreams, a girl who goes by the name of Lily Evans. Remus quickly told him that Lily would never fall for someone with that much hot air. Peter laughed as James scowled then turned to a mischievously grinning Sirius.

"You're smile scares me, Sirius." James laughed, "You have that look."

Looking like a kid on Christmas, the fellow Marauder spoke in an excited tone.

"Well, after my folks kicked me out," he said this trying to not sound upset, the boys pretended not to notice the depressed sound in their friend's voice, as Sirius clapped his hands together, "I have something I want to show you. I found as I collected my stuff before heading up to Prongs' house. I'm not sure if it's registered, or even if my folks know they have it."

Peter glanced up, curious as ever. "What? What is it?"

"It is awesome," Sirius said, his gray eyes skipping with eagerness.

Closing the blinds in their compartment and digging in his trunk he pulled out a dirty looking old box. James looked at the box questioningly as if he expected it to be something greater. Remus raised an eyebrow and Peter looked slightly disappointed that it wasn't gold or silver.

"Woa! Guys, just because the box looks like dung, doesn't mean the prize inside isn't worth it," Sirius reassured them.

Carefully, Sirius placed his hand on top of the black, battered box. He began to pull the top off slowly and James seemed to be the most impatient of the bunch fidgeting as Sirius did this. Then, with the top pulled back, the boys gazed at Sirius' magical item.

It was connected to a golden, long chain and even in the dark compartment the device sparkled. Perfect white sand filled the small hourglass that was linked to a golden circle embroidered with fabulous carvings of small cursive writing in Latin.

Remus looked up, shocked, "You… how did you—?"

"I told you, I found it when I was getting my stuff. I was just in my closet towards the back," Sirius explained pleased with his friends reactions.

Peter ran a smooth finger over the surface in awe. "Wow. My grandmother has one of these. She never lets us use it." His blue eyes lit up with excitement and turned to Sirius brightly, "Hey! Have you used it yet?"

James looked up. "Yea…"

Sirius shook his head, "I couldn't really think of anything good to use it for, you know?" he pulled the time treasure out of the table and placed it between his fingers, "I mean, I couldn't think of a good place to go visit back in time. I thought about going forward, but I'm not sure if I want to ruin my future life just quite yet."

"We should test it out," Peter suggested.

Sirius grinned, agreeing.

Remus gave a stern look before coming into the conversation, "No. Technically, we're not even legally allowed to have this. If McGonagall caught us we could be expelled. You need to register Time Turners, Sirius! They use it when present events change with out warning."

"So?"

"So…" Remus continued loudly, slightly annoyed, "They can look up all the registered Time Turners, talk to their owners and test it to see if it's been used! If we used it, then lost it and someone found it we'd be in huge trouble!"

James laughed. "Who says we'll get caught?" he asked slyly.

"James, don't encourage them."

Sirius snorted, "And who's to say we'd just go on and 'lose' something like a Time—"

"—Turner!" cried someone finishing Sirius' sentence. Slowly, all four boys turned to the new voice that had just entered their compartment. The voice belonged to a female they soon found out as they laid eyes on the girl before them. She had long red auburn locks that curled slightly at the end. Her face was set in stone as she glared at the boys with dazzling emerald almond shaped eyes and raised her upper lip.

"Evans!" James cried cheerfully putting a hand through his messy hair. He failed to impress the fair Lily Evans as she gaped at the Time Turner.

"That had better be registered!" he shouted angrily, pushing James away from her. Remus began to stumble with his words.

"Lily… we can explain. You see, we—"

"It's not registered, is it!" Lily said appalled then turned to Remus, "You're a Prefect! You should know better, Remus!"

Sirius grunted as he joined the conversation. "Oh, can it, Evans. Just because he's a Prefect, doesn't mean he can't have fun once in a while."

"I'm all for him having fun, Black! But not illegal fun!"

Sirius rolled his eyes, "I happen to think illegal fun is better for the—"

Growling in frustration, Lily snatched the Time Turner before any of the boys could blink. "I don't CARE what YOU think is FUN! I'm turning this in to Professor McGonagall right away!"

Turning to leave, the fiery red head began to make her exit when James reached out grabbing the golden chain leaking freely from Lily's hand.

"Come on, Evans… we weren't going to use it," James said trying to yank the Time Turner back. Lily had a tough grip on the actual hourglass part.

Pulling back, Lily hissed, "The Hell you weren't! Like I believe that coming from a boy who dangled someone upside by the lake last year and let everyone see his bare butt!"

"Below the belt, Evans." Sirius interjected, "Snivellus had it in for us."

"Oh, don't start THAT again, Black! Severus has done NOTHING to anyone of you!"

Peter sadly however pointed out, "He doesn't bathe. That effects everyone."

"Oooo! You guys are so rude! POTTER! LET _GO_!" Lily roared as he tried to break James' grip off the Time Turner's chain. He wasn't giving up. And too make things harder for Lily, Sirius grabbed on too. Now it was an unfair fight of two to one.

"Guys, let go. Lily, please…" Remus started trying to make piece as Peter grabbed hold too. Lily was pulled forward as the boys reclaimed the Time Turner, ripping it from her hands as she fell.

"Ouch!"

James looked down, Time Turner in hand. "You okay?"

"You JERK! Oooo!" Standing up Lily smacked away James' out stretched hand and dusted her skirt off. "I don't know why you're all still here. You should all be expelled for the things you do. You bunch of rude animals."

Sirius whispered to Peter, "She has no idea, mate." Peter winked back with a chuckle.

Sighing, Remus went to extend an apology. "Lily, I wasn't going to LET them use the Time Turner. There was no need to grab it from them. And there was no reason for them to knock you down either. I'm sorry they knocked you down."

Red in the face, Lily turned away and faced the door. Remus could have been right but bustled up in angry thoughts, Lily turned around again, facing the Marauders. They were going to get it now.

Calmly, she started. "You know, you're right, Remus. They shouldn't have knocked me down!" Grinning with a false smile Lily's face dropped into a cold smirk as she went to grab the Time Turner. Her polished nails dug into James' hand as they both wrestled for the Turner.

"EVANS LET GO! _OUCH_! JEEZ! CLIP THOSE THINGS BACK!" James wanted to nurse is now injured hand but held on firmly to the Time Turner.

"STUFF IT, POTTER! I'M NOT LETTING YOU GET AWAY WITH THIS!" Lily yelled back forcefully.

Sirius and Peter jumped in the fray trying to help out James. Remus went over to Lily, trying to get her and James to calm down. But no one noticed James' finger it the hourglass causing it to spin forward. No one noticed Lily as she lost her grip again twisting the golden side as it was pulled from her fingers.

"Ha! Knew I'd get it back!" James told her as the boys all held onto the chain looking at Lily who was looking distressed. He smirked and as Sirius was about to let out a cheer until something started to happen. The Time Turner began to shake and glow a bright white in the boys' hands. The chain glowed a yellow color.

"Oh no," Lily whispered rushing towards them about to grab it, "DROP IT! DROP IT YOU IDIOTS WE'VE SET IT OFF!"

James looked up at her as she went to rip it out of their hands. He saw Sirius fumbling to get the chain out of his fingers and Peter wriggling his hand as Remus tried to help both of them. Lily grabbed onto James' hand to pull it off when she felt a spin.

The five soon found themselves feeling very heavy and planted in the spot as things rushed past them in a fast forward setting. People moving in jagged movements quickly, sound gone. It reminded Lily of a Muggle videotape when someone fast-forwards it to skip ahead.

Then with out warning, the sensation stopped and they all came soaring to the ground. Looking up, James fixed his glasses and rubbed his head.

"Ow…"

Peter brushed the hair out of his face and looked around, "It looks like our compartment still."

"It can't be,." Lily stood up, offering Peter a hand as he brushed off his robes, "Look the seat patterns are different. They're solid black now instead of that diamond gray one."

Sirius looked over at her, "You actually look at the seats we sit on?"

"It's a big difference you, toe rag!" she shouted angrily at Sirius as she pushed a lock of hair behind her ear. "We went forward in time."

"How do you know that?" Sirius said as he looked around and pulled James and Remus up onto their feet.

Lily rolled her eyes a bit impatiently. _Boys…_ "Because when we were standing still, time went faster and in a forward motion, not backwards."

Remus nodded. "She's right."

Peter looked out into the hallway, "Well, it's great we know we went forward in time and all, but I think we might need to find some cover."

"Why?" James asked.

Pointing to a group of students coming towards their compartment Peter started to back up as Remus saw what he was pointing at, "Because I think they were sitting in here and I don't know how they'd react to us in their seats."

"I'll hold 'em off," James said locking the door and pulling out his wand. He lowered the curtains cutting off the busy hall outside the compartment.

"You twit!" Lily went slightly pale. "We can't be seen! We need to hide!"

Sirius looked curious, "How come?"

"You idiot! We could effect this present time!" Thinking quickly, Lily pulled out her wand and pointed it at Sirius.

Sirius froze, "WHAT THE BLOODY HELL WOMAN!"

"WILL you be QUIET!" Lily called out desperately, "_Minimus_!" she called out.

With out warning, the white light hit Sirius. He stumbled backwards, hitting the window and yelling in pain. But slowly, as he rubbed the back of his bumped head, his shouts became softer as his form began to shrink. Remus stood, mouth slightly open as he picked up a six inch tall Sirius.

"Hey! You better change me back, Evans!" he called out from Remus' hand angrily.

Lily tied back her hair and flipped her wand in her fingers, "I promise I will, we need to hide! This is the only thing I could think of. All of you line up! _MINIMUS_!" she cried once more.

Again, a bright white light came from the end of her wand and soon, Remus, Peter and Lily matched Sirius' new level.

"Oy, where's Prongs?" Sirius said instantly as he soon found out. James leaned down looking at his friends, no bigger than pixies.

"POTTER!" screeched Lily, "You weren't supposed to duck the spell we need to—"

James smirked as he grabbed the four, Lily hitting his fist as he pulled them up close. With a grin he whispered, "Shhh. Those kids are coming and you guys can't return yourselves to your normal sized selves with out aid from someone else who hasn't been shrunk."

Lily looked slightly flustered as her cheeks turned red. She had forgotten that. James however, still smiling, poured the four into his robe pockets. Lily and Remus in his left, Sirius and Peter in his right.

"How are you to hide!" demanded Lily.

James slipped out a silky, almost transparent robe as the four peeked out through his pockets. "I brought my Invisibility Cloak," he stated proudly. Sirius, Remus and Peter all exchanged grins as Lily began to ask questions.

"Those are really rare! How did you—?"

"Not now, Evans," James said softly putting the Invisibility Cloak over his arms. "I knew Lily would shrink the rest of us after Sirius, so I came up with my own plan. With you four all shrunk, I could sit comfortably under the cloak with you merry gents, and lady of course," he added as she kicked from inside his robe pockets, "With none of us being seen."

Impressed, Lily looked up, "That is a… a rather clever idea I suppose."

"Bloody brilliant!" cheered out Sirius as Peter let out a whistle.

Outside the compartment, the doorbell began to jiggle. "Oh! Unlock the door! Ron if you're in there, unlock it!" Whoever it was, didn't sound happy.

"Ohhh… sounds like a girl," Sirius pushed his bangs out of his face as Peter pulled him down with a laugh.

"Shhh!" hushed Lily. "Hurry up, Potter and put the cloak on. I heard that door unlock and the person responsible doesn't sound like they're in a good mood."

James nodded and began to cover the rest of himself until a hand grabbed his shoulder and twisted him around. The cloak slipped from his grasp and James froze as he came face to face with a girl about his age. He felt the companions in his pockets duck down lower.

"Harry! You know better not to take that thing out in public!" cried a brown bushy haired girl picking up the Invisibility Cloak as if she had used it before. She quickly stuffed it in her book filled leather bag and continued to rant, "What if you were seen by Malfoy or some of the Slytherin lot? They'd run to Snape in an instant to get you expelled for something like this! Honestly, Harry… and why on Earth were the blinds pulled and the door locked?"

_Who the bloody Hell is Harry?_ James thought nervously as the girl gave him a questioning look.

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**Author's Note: **My first Marauder time fic so, be gentle. Reviews welcomed of course. Bad or good. Whatever. 


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